


hallelujah it's raining men

by mother_hearted



Category: Persona 4, 真女神転生IV | Shin Megami Tensei IV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Ensemble Cast, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-16
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-15 08:45:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8049814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mother_hearted/pseuds/mother_hearted
Summary: Things predictably delve into chaos when they talk about murder.

  In this fic: an Atlus mash-up.





	hallelujah it's raining men

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for an rp partner awhile back. I ship it unironically and I am okay with that. 
> 
> To this day I have three aus for this pairing, lmfao I never had a chance.

_your forecast for today: clear skies with a .0000001% chance of falling time travelers._

Souji is fairly certain he saw someone fall into the river. He says fairly because he _was_ petting a stray at the time and there's no better time to daydream. The gray tabby had gained weight since their last visit and it only made her a warmer cuddly weight in his lap.

Cats are so great.

Souji almost forgets about the strange sighting before he hears the unmistakable sounds of someone gasping for air.

_?!_

Investigating the scene reveals a strangely dressed man in white soaking wet and wheezing over his own knees, the material of his shirt stretched tightly around his back and shoulder muscles. Souji really shouldn't be noticing that first. Honestly, hormones.

_Shut up._

By the time Souji gets his attention, he's openly staring when the strange man opens his mouth to speak. He enters a brain throttling conversation that alerts him of several key facts:

He is somehow talking to a real life Samurai from another world where caste systems exist, old flourished Japanese is the norm, Walter has been separated from his group tasked with collecting mythical relics, and it is apparently _weird_ that Tokyo _isn't_ overrun by demons. 

Souji thinks about Uncle Dojima's response to this, which would include a sobriety test before strong arming to a detention center. 

Souji invites him back to the house while his uncle is at work, only to find out Walter is missing his Gauntlet, the key item that could solve all of this.

They make a deal then, of sorts.

Perhaps it's because he found him, like a stray, Walter feels like his responsibility.

 

"Dude. He thinks he's a freaking _Samurai_."

"He's harmless, Yosuke."

"The hell he is, even if he isn't on uber drugs - he's Kanji sized! What are you gonna do if he comes at you?"

Kanji sized. Souji snorts into the phone. "Kanji's shirts are a bit tight on him actually."

"Partner, you're making this normal and it's freaking me out."

"He's sleeping at Yukiko's family inn for now, and I'm with him when we're not in school. When I'm not around he goes back to combing over the area around the river. It's fine."

"It's fine." Yosuke parrots back incredulously. "What the hell, man. I'm seriously worried about you, it's already been a week -- why did you just send me a picture."

"Open it."

"...is he in awe of the microwave or terrified of the microwave."

"Both," Souji answers solemnly. 

"Oh my god, okay. Take him to the train station. _Please._ "

 

Talking with Walter allows himself to discover he is a poor sport when it comes to cyclical arguments. This leads Souji to avoid subjects left and right when he can sense it going down that road. Walter is a fire type, burning long and hard when he has an opinion. 

The intensity is tiring to say the least. Luckily Walter is also care free enough to move on to other matters. Blunt but warm, Souji learns many things about him with ease. 

A fisherman's boy from an old village. Born into the working poor, where he would have stayed, if not for the Gauntlet's rite choosing him. 

A Samurai's duty suits him, he says. Only eighteen, two years older than Souji, does Walter let him know he's finally living his life in earnest. 

Walter's greatest pride is in his strength, physical, but also in his heart. Souji has always admired Chie and Kanji for this reason, Walter is no exception. 

 

Things predictably delve into chaos when they talk about murder.

 

Souji unfortunately discovers they're both on the hunt for a criminal. Walter thankfully does not. 

The conversation about the Inaba serial killer is remarkably painless until Walter asks him about the capture and post dealings.

"Where in this small town would you hold an execution, or do they hold the event elsewhere."

Souji looks up from his notebook slowly. He reminds himself that they come from completely different times. 

"We don't do that anymore."

Walter's brow raises. 

Souji helpfully adds on, "We have the resources for longer terms of imprisonment."

"Your world is soft."

"There is a greater insistence on education and rehabilitation." Souji counters.

"Serial murder is already educated. It only ends by tossing the last handful of dirt in their grave." Walter leans back on his hands casually, looking for all the world unimpressed. "Provided they have even earned a right to a lot of land to pass from this world."

The cold finality of it fills Souji with unease but he can't effectively argue against it. Feudal Japan was not known for its mercy, a world routed deep in rules and expectations. Harsh punishments ran abound. 

"We changed," Souji says instead. Keeps _for the better_ to himself. Glad he did when he hears Walter's response. 

"Change is necessary." A serious look falls on his face. "I did not know it when I was young but I understand now. I was not born with opportunity, I came by it through happenstance, the rite showing me freedom and choice. The weight of that power is heavy, impossible to ignore. Though I have orders I must follow and seniors to defer to, the unspeakable drive I carried but never acted on... I have meaning now. A purpose for will."

Walter grows quiet, sharing words he only could hold the feelings of two weeks ago. "Change must be inevitable, for better or worse. To know I will one day die, having accomplished more than a peasant's mindless thankless work..." 

Walter doesn't finish his sentence, Souji can only imagine that thought too tender for even him to share. Hearing from what he has of his life under the caste system, Souji is impressed he has shared anything at all. Walter finally concludes after a long stretch of silence rather baldly, "Your world is weak but I respect how it came to be of its own will."

In a rough around the edges way, Souji can't help but be charmed. 

"As the official representative of everything in this dear cosmos, you have our thanks."

Souji laughs at Walter's rough (but playful) swat across the table.

 

On a run through the TV world, Yukiko has another daily story to tell. 

"For all his confidence, he gets overwhelmed easily. I noticed him on the porch near his room, staring intently at the railing."

Chie makes a face. "Hey Yukiko, I've been meaning to ask..."

"Hm?" 

Souji notices Chie blushing when Yukiko looks back at her. That one look does the trick because Chie thinks better of herself, amends her question. "Nevermind. What was he looking at?"

"Just the railing. I think it was because it was the closest thing that made sense."

Yosuke hides his laughter badly up ahead. 

"Senpai, we talkin' 'bout the Samurai dude?" Kanji shouts from the back with Rise. "Do ya need to borrow more clothes?"

Just another day in the TV world.

 

_'Endearing', huh. You're fond of Flynn, then?_

_You have a way with words that leave others tasting ash in their mouth, did you know that?_

_Sorry. I can't help it sometimes._

Of all their conversations, that don't involve demons, stock demons, and the very real threat of actual demons running around the shopping district ( _Walter_ ), Souji keeps coming back to the day Walter described his companions. 

He'd been traveling with them for months before crossing over to present day Inaba, and predictably speaks of them as colorfully as anything else. 

Isabeau, the Queen with an iron mask who seems intent on denying she has a fun bone in her body. Souji suspects he is coming to respect her without even knowing it, when he shares a story of how she tracked and cornered a fellow Samurai in a dungeon who dared to assist in a harmful prank aimed at Walter. 

Jonathan, who could be a real man's man if he weren't such a _well bred martyr._ His politics and philosophies clearly run opposite of Walter's. Despite the fact they've come close to fisticuffs (Souji doesn't doubt this), Walter does like him.

And then there's the case of Flynn. Odd, but _endearing_. Not only do they get along well but Walter seems to think an awful lot about him. While Souji had dropped his teasing that conversation, he couldn't help but poke him several days later.

The river water had risen from the recent rain and Walter doesn't search nearly as long as he usually does. Souji had done what he could to help in Samegawa but when that failed, in his room he does the next best thing:

"You said something interesting last time, when we talked about your companions."

"Hoy, what are you getting at?"

Walter has the unfortunately rare gift of being both blunt and sharp in tongue. Souji doesn't take it personally anymore. It's how he is. "It was something about Flynn."

"Come out and say it before I expire."

Souji can't help but laugh. "I wanted to know why he was endearing."

Walter fixes him a strange look. "Jonathan is more of that ilk than I."

"Hm?"

"Explaining that sort of sentiment, I don't know!" He seems more amused than annoyed and Souji runs with it. Walter's loudness comes from a disregard of social tact than anger. 

"So he's better at expressing his feelings. You've been giving me the opposite impression." Souji teases gently. "I can't help but believe you're the honest one of the bunch."

"Even I can see your roundabout way of getting to things, although I can't see where you mean to go. Hurry, before my knuckles become gnarled."

Impatient, but it means he's gotten used to Souji enough he can't help but scent out his intentions like a bloodhound. 

"How commonplace are Jonathan's preferences,' Souji asks directly. It was something else Walter had mentioned in brief, just another gem Souji had struggled to catch before it was buried. 

Walter blinks. "Eh. They are not uncommon. Most marry, are expected to marry. Why?" And Walter picks up on it quickly. "Do I seem the type?"

The look leveled at Souji is pure exasperation, but no offense. Even when Souji had teased Walter complimenting Flynn, he'd taken more offense to being spoken for than anything else. 

"I don't think types for things like that exist." No one has guessed about Souji, yet.

"Huh." 

Souji expects Walter to get at him for dropping it as quickly as bringing it up.

"You're pretty ballsy," is what comes out of his mouth and Souji stares at the modern slang in surprise. "What?" 

Of course, now he looks offended. 

"Sorry." Souji says, for the umpteenth time.

"I heard it in Tokyo once. I liked the turn of phrase."

Of course he did.

Souji shakes his head and drops it.

 

Well. He tries too.

For some unspeakable reason he goes to sleep that night and wonders if Walter is in love with Flynn but doesn't realize it. It's entirely possible, given how thick headed Walter is. And Souji finds himself obsessing over it, no new leads on the case, the Investigation Team is in good health - he's even been doing well in rebuilding the Dojima home, becoming real family with his cousin and uncle. 

Somehow this becomes the problem in his mind _he needs to solve._

He falls asleep. Unfortunately, the desire stays with him.

 

_your forecast for today: cloudy skies with a 100% chance of falling in love with the wrong person._

On the day that marks a complete month since Walter arrived, his Gauntlet is found. A fisherman had retrieved it after a misfire cast had dragged it up. Thankfully they had been in the area and Souji had passed it off as a collector's model. 

The problem is it does exactly nothing. Despite being underwater for so long, it doesn't appear to have any water damage or damage of any kind. It doesn't make sense.

For all his drive, Walter enters a dark mood and ignores all of Souji's attempts to leave the inn the following day. 

Souji gives him his space.

 

"I know we have our own problems, but uh. I guess he's legit, what's he gonna do?" Yosuke whispers behind his ramen on the roof, they're sitting far enough away from their other classmates but it's best to be safe. They've learned a lot since discovering TV world.

"I don't know," Souji admits. "I had hoped it would be that simple."

"Does it... have a battery or something?"

Souji gives him a Look.

"I'm trying to help, it's sound boarding!"

"He can access it. But most of the functions don't respond to his voice commands." Souji leaves out the part about stock demons. 

"Well... You said he has buddies, right? Maybe they have to open whatever dropped him in here. You can't go through a closed door."

...Souji puts his face in hands. That could very well be it. It is entirely possible Walter fell from the sky. Which renders any use of searching for a path useless. Souji remembers him tumbling through the air very distinctly. It hadn't looked real then. It doesn't feel real now.

"...you want some of my ramen?" Yosuke tries. 

Souji just wants a hug.

"No, thank you."

 

Souji realizes he is probably projecting a little the next time he sees Walter, alone with him in his room. Walter is tired but not looking nearly as defeated. 

"I'm sorry, I should have realized when I didn't know how you got here."

Walter scrubs at his face, features twisted slightly. "I don't need apologies, spare me. You were never asked to shelter me, much less save me. I am a man, not a dog. I am not your responsibility."

Those words prick right under his skin. 

"I wanted to help you."

Walter openly stares at him.

"You did. You should stop with the guilt."

"It's not that simple." Souji's smile is small, unbearably small. "You don't belong here and others are waiting on you. People special to you."

"Hell's bells, Souji. Don't go soft on me now." 

"You talk heartily about your mission but I know you miss them. They're your friends. You love them."

Walter looks far more vulnerable at that accusation that anything else said between them. Like he didn't expect to become attached to others, to a degree that would wound him. Souji has been there. 

"What do you know about love?" Walter tries to scoff but it comes out weak.

Sometimes, even Souji can be mean. "I know you're in love with the man who is arguably your best friend."

A pin drop could echo in the room.

Souji ends up flat on the floor when Walter suddenly drops his weight on him. The floor is hard against his back but he's too stunned to fixate on it, focused on the heaviness of Walter's body on top of him. 

Despite the intent, Souji is still classifying this as an attack. 

"You've got some nerve," Walter all but growls at him. His voice isn't particularly deep but it hits a note here, has Souji's eyes widening. 

"What?" Souji articulately says. The only thing he can force out of his mouth that isn't a breathless mess, honestly. 

"You hound me, prod me, keep asking me about my feelings. You want to be responsible? Take responsibility for the pool of confusion you've steeped me in all this time."

The absurdity of the situation pulls through enough that Souji can plainly respond back. "You seem very aware now."

"Yeah." 

Oh.

"Oh." He's staring down at him and Souji feels all the air sweep back out of his lungs. Walter's face is the most aching blend of stern and fragile Souji has ever seen.

"I'm fond of you."

Souji flushes hard.

"I am too." It's spoken in a whisper but the cat's out of the bag. "This wasn't my plan." 

"Too bad." Walter grins, a bit flushed and Souji's mouth is covered with his before he can react. His mouth is rough on his, has Souji's body crackling and flashing hot all over, and it makes them both clumsy. Souji's body pinned to the floor has him squirming helplessly and all it does is turn him on more.

Walter kisses much like he must fight, driving straight through, strong with no room to let up. He's inexperienced like Souji, and Souji scrambles to get his attention by gripping his shoulders tight. 

When Walter looks back down at him, pupils already blown, Souji's finger card through his hair.

"Gentle."

He means it to be a soft tease, it comes out more breathless and painfully desperate than it should. 

Walter's face grows even more flustered, body trembling when he's back over Souji, mouth slow and heavy when it covers Souji's lips again. His tongue licks its way into Souji's mouth and they both make it too wet, sloppy and warm. Inexperience is their friend because Souji trembles too, legs parting underneath to let Walter's hips open him up and Souji isn't prepared for the groan above him, in his mouth, rubbing all the way down his back.

They end up grinding for too long before their clothes come off and by then they're too hard and desperate to care for much else than rocking back against each other. Walter's body brackets him in while Souji fists a tight hand into Walter's hair, hips pumping faster the longer they kiss.

When Souji comes first, cutting off his own cry, he nearly pulls Walter's hair out. He feels a snap of teeth in his shoulder at the move, only to be replaced by hot panting breath when Walter spills between them.

By the time they force themselves to move it's late and Souji hears his Uncle walking into the house. 

"...ah."

"'ll sneak out." Walter mumbles into his skin.

Souji looks down at his wild hair, biting his lip. "In the morning?"

"Yeah."

They sleep in Souji's futon in a lazy tangle, Souji woken up with a wet kiss before Walter gets ready to leave in the early hours of the morning.

"They call that the walk of shame, you know." 

Walter laughs.

"Sounds like something a Luxuror would say."

"Not all of them?"

"Nah. Not all of them."

 

"Dude, you keep smiling."

"Yeah, Souji-kun! Did something good happen?"

Naoto looks over from the food court and observes Souji carefully.

Souji brings his brightness level down by ten percent, "I had a good night's sleep."

 

What had happened was special and fragile and Souji has no regrets.

It's for the best when Souji gets a phone call three days later from Yosuke.

"There are three of them."

"What."

Yosuke sends Souji a picture.

"THERE ARE THREE OF THEM."

Oh, yeah. That sure is them, causing a scene at the shrine. By the time Souji gets Yosuke off the phone, everyone is gathered up and ready and waiting to see what happens next. It appears through the knowledge of a man named Steven, portals to both the past and future had been opened up along the Samurai's journey. 

And even a portal to a world that couldn't conceivably come from their immediate timeline. Souji's head is spinning but the good news is Yosuke was right, whatever needs to be opened is.

All that's left really, is to say goodbye.

 

Souji spends a quiet moment alone with Walter and while his chest hurts, it's mostly filled with relief. He's happy for him. This stranger who made an odd but much needed impact on his life.

They talk a bit, banter here and there, until Souji asks, "Did you learn anything on your once and a lifetime journey?" 

He's teasing and Walter recognizes it, expression smug but eyes crinkling faintly. "Hmmm."

Souji huffs a laugh. The atmosphere changes when Walter looks up at the sky, face opening up. "Maybe there is something to this... moderation thing." He nods to himself, turning back to face Souji. "A little love, is also pretty good."

Souji flushes at that admission. 

"You're shameless."

And the worst. 

Souji tells him that too. Walter's laugh is hearty and delighted. 

"See you," he says instead of goodbye.

Souji smiles, "See you."

Walter pulls him into a quick kiss before running, coat flying behind him. 

"Hoy, I'm ready!" He calls into the distance. 

Souji lets his face cool down before following after. Living life a little less composed isn't so bad either.

He'll work up to it.


End file.
